I teach classes, guide master's students and help PhD students with their degrees. I also do some lab work involving new fibers that combine glass and silicon.

Why Engineering?

I love the fact that what I do has connections to the real world and that there can be useful applications of what I learn.

School Days

I did my undergraduate work at Dartmouth (AB, physics) and graduate work at Cornell (PhD, experimental physics)

My Day At Work

In the lab, optical analysis of materials made various ways, and of course writing up the results and presenting them at conferences.

Best Part

There is a lot of variety in my job and I get to solve many different kinds of problems.

Proud Moments

I like to think that I helped quite a few students, both engineering and non-engineering, to find an interest in materials science.

Challenges

I was quite young when I took my first job and it was challenging to gain the respect of some colleagues. I think what worked best was persevering - just doing my job as well as I could.

My Family

I am married to a Swede (hence the move to Scandinavia), and we have three wonderful children. The oldest is employed and the two younger ones are still in school.

Dreams and Goals

The short term goal is to work with a local person to launch a company to explore one of my research ideas for production, and the longer term goal is to make an impact in the field of photonics.

Inspiration

I am sure my parents played a role, though I was pretty rebellious. Another large influence was someone who suggested I was a quitter. I fought that image.

Want to be an Engineer?

Persevere, and believe in yourself. It's way too easy to think that you have to be best - and much more important to do the best you can.

Additional Thoughts

It's way too easy to think that you have to be best - and much more important to do the best you can.

Hobbies

I'm a windsurfer, and love the complexity of the interplay of wind, waves and sail. I never worry about anything else when I am sailing - it is liberating.

Biography

I teach engineering (materials science and nanotechnology) to college and graduate students. I also participate in research activities, investigating the interaction of very small structures with electromagnetic fields.

There are many approaches to a career in materials sciences and engineering - some undergraduate programs have majors that are directly tailored to this field, but many come to this area with a background in sciences such as chemistry or physics.

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